Soyez actifs

New class number 2: Mise en scène, Acting Workshop

I arrived early and chatted with Katrina (another Bucknell student) and this French girl named Claire. Of course, when we filed into the classroom, we had no idea what to expect. I didn't even really know I was taking a theatre class. You see, in order for my classes to get Bucknell credit, I have to have four hours of class...so they pair the French 2-hour classes together. Apparently it made sense to pair acting with French-English translation. In any case, I don't complain, it was a fun class.

Most of our work was on an excerpt from the French play "Hart-Emily" (about Hart Crane and Emily Dickenson...It took me awhile to figure this out...just IMAGINE how the professor pronounced their names.) Today's text featured a robust juxtaposition of passionate American verse and details about the poets' lives, chronicling their devastating suicides in order to demonstrate the tragedy, insanity, and torment that seems to await all American poets. When we finished reading as a class, the professor asked us, "What makes this text funny?"...Well I agree that there is a certain amount of irony to it all, but I was moved in quite the opposite direction, especially as a result of the play's treatment of Anne Sexton.

Hopefully the rest of the play doesn't hit so close to home. Or if it does, I'll find some truth that is waiting to be uncovered. I look forward to further reading and performing.

Some memorable quotes from my professor:

"Be ACTIVE. It's called acting. The work of an actor is acting. Therefore, we need to be active."

"We need to find characters outside of ourselves, and in order to present them, we need to be them completely."

"John, how do you pronounce 'oh-ee-oh?' Oh, ooOHIO. Listen to that. Say Ohio like it's the most fascinating place on earth."

So that was acting. More new classes next week. I leave for Paris early tomorrow morning. So many options to choose from. I'll be sure to blog about that.

À toute à l'heure!